Harry J Studio is famous throughout Jamaica for having housed some of the most influential reggae musicians of all time. Before Bob Marley constructed a professional recording studio in his home on Hope Road in Kingston, this was the principal…

When The Skatalites departed Jamaica's legendary Studio One recording studio in the mid sixties, Clement "Coxone" Dodd employed Alpha Boys' School alumni Bobby Ellis to recruit replacement musicians. Pictured here are drummer Joe Isaacs, who was 16 when he…

As musicians' lives change, so too does a band's line-up. Martha Kelly stepped in to replace Eric Landry, who began playing full time with Halifax's hardest working band, The Mellotones. Martha earned a degree in classical performance and maintains my…

Although I was able to spend several weeks with her while she underwent diagnostic tests in Halifax, my beloved mother Barbara succumbed to cancer on May 6, 2000. I had given up my job and my apartment in Toronto to…

Andru Branch & Halfway Tree, 1998. Clockwise, from left to right: Chris Davey (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), Lindell "LA" Allen (bass), David Wand (trumpet), Kevin Cook (trombone), Tomaz "Moose" Jardim (lead guitar), Mike Goodridge (drums), Andru Branch (vocals…

Andru Branch & Halfway Tree live at Lee's Palace, 1998. From left to right are Tomaz "Moose" Jardim (lead guitar), Mike Goodridge (drums), Lindell "LA" Allen (bass), Andru Branch (vocals, keyboards, percussion), KI (rhythm guitar). Missing from the photo is…

Andru Branch & Halfway Tree, 1998. Following a temporary stint with the affable "Floppy" on bass, pictured here, clockwise from left to right, are Tomaz "Moose" Jardim (lead guitar), Lindell "LA" Allen (bass), David Wand (trumpet), Kevin Cook (trombone)…

Andru Branch & Halfway Tree, 1997. Clockwise, from left to right: Andru Branch (vocals, keyboards, percussion), Tomaz "Moose" Jardim (rhythm guitar), David Wand (trumpet), Mike Goodridge (drums), Art Gold (trombone), Ras Kawintseb Sellasssie (lead guitar and backing vocals). Missing…

Andru Branch & Halfway Tree in action, live at Toronto's legendary Bamboo Club, circa 1995. Pictured here is Art Gold on trombone, Andru Branch on keyboards and vocals, Mike Goodridge on drums, Ras Kawintseb Sellassie on lead guitar and…

Andru Branch & Halfway Tree preparing to go on stage at the 1995 Canadian Organization of Campus Activities conference at Western University in London. Clockwise, from left to right are Mike Goodridge (drums), David Slater (saxophone), Andru Branch (vocals, keyboards…

The last in a series of photos from Kingston Muzik, where I recorded my first studio album What If I Told You, I am pictured here with the lovely and talented studio engineer Otto-Lee Wilson in 1998. Back…

Pictured here in 1996, I was honoured to have the support of my friend and collaborator Ras Kawintseb Sellassie, who accompanied me from Toronto to record my first album What If I Told You at Kingston Muzik Studio in…